Rotary Community Awards
Every now and again, Rotary wishes to recognise outstanding contributions to the local community made by non-Rotarians. This is done by presenting a 'Rotary Community Award' to the person concerned, usually during a club lunchtime meeting.
The Rotary Club of Exmoor made two such awards on February 22nd 2005 on the occasion of the Rotary Centenary to two ladies who had been involved in community work in Bampton over many years.
Rotary Community Awards
Every now and again, Rotary wishes to recognise outstanding contributions to the local community made by non-Rotarians. This is done by presenting a 'Rotary Community Award' to the person concerned, usually during a club lunchtime meeting.
The Rotary Club of Exmoor made two such awards on February 22nd 2005 on the occasion of the Rotary Centenary to two ladies who had been involved in community work in Bampton over many years.
Phyllis Marley
Phyllis Marley was born in Henlade near Taunton, and at the age of 19
married a Bampton lad in 1959 and has lived in Bampton ever since. Her
husband was a farmer but also a fireman who eventually completed 26 years
service, whilst Phyllis was a working mum, working for the Spar shop
for 16 years followed by a Care Assistant at Barnhay Old People's Home.
During her 46 years in Bampton she has always been highly involved in the local community in areas such as Bampton Playgroup, School PTA, Gardening Club, Shillingford Ladies Group, Bampton Twinning Association, Charity Dance Organiser, Fire Brigade Jumble Sales, Open days, etc.
However, her two most significant contributions have been
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Organiser of Bampton fair for 42 years until 'retiring' in 2002 - an all-the-year-round task with taking bookings, organising stalls and events, and keeping the peace between traders and stallholders! Income from the fair was shared out for the benefit of local charities and organisations.
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Bampton Town Council, to which she was elected for over 25 years and where she was actively involved in improving the town's facilities. On her retirement from the council, a seat was dedicated to mark her long service for Bampton.
Christine Davey
Christine and her late husband Ted farmed at Lower Bowbier Farm in Bampton
for many years; when they retired, they moved into a house in Silver
Street. Christine is mum to five children, all of whom are very proud
of her.
Christine is famous in Bampton for the thankless task of selling raffle tickets and draw prizes. She is a person where if you saw her in the street you would automatically put your hand in your pocket ready for her! It would be interesting to know how much she has raised over forty years of fundraising in Bampton: organisations she has helped include the schools, the church, both Community and Public Halls, Young Farmers' Club, Youth Club, Twinning, Over 60's, Fire Service, and Cancer Research. She was always to be seen selling tickets at Bampton's whist drives, jumble sales, Bingo, and fetes.
Her contribution to the community in Bampton has been enormous.
An award was made on January 30th 2007 to a person who had his 100th birthday the previous November! Jack has since died (2012) at the age of 105.
Jack Totterdell
Jack Totterdell was born in Ashbrittle in November 1906, but moved to Lake Cottage in Huntsham when he was five years old. He left school at 14 and worked for various local employers as farmhand, gardener, on the railway, and at a sawmills. He married his wife Florrie at Bampton church in 1932 and they then moved to Shillingford where they remained for the next 60 years!
During those years they not only had seven children, but he was responsible for raising the money for Shillingford Village Hall of which he became secretary and caretaker for 27 years! He also organised the local football and gardening clubs - and he still has a productive vegetable garden at his cottage in Bampton. A local character who has done so much for the community. Jack died in 2012.
Dr Chris Mew
On 16th April 2013 a Rotary award for Service to the Community was presented to Dr. Chris Mew after his retirement as a GP in Bampton.
Not only has Chris Mew looked after the health of the people of Bampton for many years, but also he was responsible for the building of the excellent Health Centre and establishing its commitments and ethos.
